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The best place in the world to be a mother is Sweden, followed by Norway and Iceland. World leaders such as the UK and US rank 14th and 27th respectively. Conversely, the worst countries in the world to be a mom today are Niger, followed by war-ridden Chad and Yemen – all in sub-Saharan Africa.

The Mother's Index compares the well-being of mothers and children in 146 countries around the world (see below for indicators).

"A mother's well-being is connected to her children's well-being," said Charles MacCormack, president and CEO of Save the Children. "It is not surprising, then, that in the worst places to be a mom, both woman and children die young."

The best place in the world to be a child is Italy, followed by Germany and France.

Better to be a mom in SA
In South Africa it is better to be a mother than a child as the country only scores 46th place among the developing world for the Children's ranking.

The report's comments on South Africa's state of health for children are as follows:

"South Africa has better-than-average health care compared to other developing countries, but the inequity in survival rates of the poorest and the wealthiest children is start, and overall under-5 mortality rates are worsening, not improving.

"More than a third of South African children (34 percent) do not get health care when they need it, and a poor child is 4 times more likely to die than a rich child.

"Since 1990, the child mortality rate in South Africa has risen 15 percent, and AIDS is associated with 57 percent of child deaths. It is estimated that 29 percent of pregnant women are infected with HIV, and 1.2 million children under the age of 17 had been orphaned by AIDS. Preventing mother-to-child transmission of HIV is critical to saving the lives of children under 5.

"After AIDS, newborn complications comprise the second most frequent killer of children – accounting for 35 percent of under-5 deaths – and this is the area where there is the greatest disparity between rich and poor. Nearly all of the wealthiest mothers in South Africa benefit from skilled assistance during childbirth, while about a third of the poorest mothers do not.

"Improving deliver care for the poorest mothers could do a lot to prevent newborn deaths. If under-5 survival rates among the poorest South African children were raised to those of the richest, 68 percent of child deaths could be prevented. That means 52 000 South African children would be saved each year."

KEY INDICATORS:
The status of mothers was compared in 146 countries based on the following indicators of women's and children's well-being:

• Lifetime risk of maternal mortality
• Percentage of women using modern contraception
• Skilled attendant at delivery
• Female life expectancy
• Expected number of years of formal schooling for females
• Ratio of estimated female-to-male earned income
• Maternity leave benefits
• Participation of women in national government
• Under-5 mortality rate
• Percentage of children under age 5 moderately or severely underweight
• School enrollment ratios
• Ratio of girls to boys enrolled in primary school
• Percentage of population with access to safe water

(Wilma van Zuydam, Health24, May 2008)

Source: State of the World's Mothers 2008 (Save the Children)
 

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